Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckalcott.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Eckalcottxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia a product of a induced mutation breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.
The new Poinsettia is an induced mutation of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Bright Red Freedom, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,572. Mutations were induced by exposing unrooted cuttings of xe2x80x98Bright Red Freedomxe2x80x99 to gamma radiation. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of irradiated plants of the cultivar Bright Red Freedom in December, 1999, in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its dark red-colored flower bracts with irregularly incised margins.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., since January, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Eckalcottxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Eckalcottxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Inflorescences with dark red-colored flower bracts with irregularly incised margins.
2. Dark green-colored leaves with irregularly incised margins.
3. Uniform and mounded plant habit.
4. Early flowering; natural season flower maturity date is late November to early December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; response time, about 9 weeks.
5. Multiple nectaries per cyathium.
6. Excellent post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Poinsettia are most similar to plants of the parent, the cultivar Freedom Bright Red. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia had darker red-colored bracts and flowered about 10 days later than plants of the cultivar Freedom Bright Red. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia had incised leaf and flower bract margins whereas plants of the cultivar Freedom Bright Red did not have incised leaf and flower bract margins.
Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Eckalain, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently, in flower bract coloration.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Eckada, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,124. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia had darker red-colored bracts than plants of the cultivar Eckada. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia had incised leaf and flower bract margins whereas plants of the cultivar Eckada did not have incised leaf and flower bract margins.